Access Control Door Calculator

• Controllers needed = ceil( Doors ÷ Controller capacity )
• Cable length = (Doors × Avg run + Headend extra) × (1 + Spare%/100)
• Material subtotal = Door devices + Panels & supplies + Cable + Conduit
• Labor hours = (Doors × Hours/door + Controllers × Hours/panel + Commissioning) × Complexity
• Labor cost = Labor hours × Labor rate
• Overhead & profit = (Material + Labor) × OHP%/100
• Contingency = (Material + Labor + OHP) × Contingency%/100
• Tax = (Material + Labor + OHP + Contingency) × Tax%/100
• Grand total = Material + Labor + OHP + Contingency + Tax
• Cost per door = Grand total ÷ Doors

1. Enter the number of controlled doors and choose your controller capacity.
2. Set unit costs for locks, readers, and optional door accessories.
3. Enter cable run assumptions, headend allowance, and spare factor.
4. Include conduit costs when pathways are part of your scope.
5. Adjust labor hours and complexity to match site conditions.
6. Add overhead, contingency, and tax to match your estimating policy.
7. Click Calculate to see totals above the form.
8. Use Download CSV or Download PDF for sharing.

Hardware takeoff structure

This estimator treats each controlled opening as a repeatable kit: lock, reader, and selectable devices such as door contact, request-to-exit, keypad, and sounder. Material for panels is computed from controller capacity, using ceiling division to avoid under-counting. A 4-door controller for 18 doors becomes 5 controllers, plus enclosures to match. Use unit prices that reflect your procurement channel and warranty level.

Cabling and pathway assumptions

Cabling is based on average run length per door plus a headend allowance for risers, terminations, and reroutes. The spare factor adds slack for bends, misroutes, and future maintenance; 10% is common on straightforward routes, while 15–20% suits congested retrofits. When conduit is in scope, a separate length-per-door model estimates pathway cost. Long horizontal runs usually shift totals toward cable and labor.

Labor productivity drivers

Labor hours combine per-door installation time, per-panel build time, and commissioning. The complexity factor scales the total to match site conditions: 1.00 for new work with clear routes, 1.25 for retrofit above finished ceilings, and 1.50 where access is restricted or work is phased after hours. If lifts, coring, or patching are included in your scope, increase hours-per-door rather than only raising markup.

Power budgeting and safety margin

Electrical sizing uses continuous current per door for the lock, reader, and accessories, then applies a safety margin. Typical values include 0.30 A at 12 V for an electric strike, 0.50 A for a magnetic lock, and 0.12–0.25 A for readers depending on type. Add accessory current for contacts, relays, indicators, and sounders. Select the next common supply size above the recommended load to reduce nuisance faults.

Cost controls and bid readiness

Overhead and profit are applied to the combined material and labor base, then contingency and tax are layered for a transparent estimate. For budgeting, a 5% contingency often covers minor scope drift; for early design, 10% may be safer. Use the exports to align with your bill of quantities, and verify door handing, fire-rating interfaces, and code-required egress hardware before issuing a final bid. Plan submittal documentation early.

1) What does “controller capacity” change?

It sets how many doors each controller can serve and drives the controller and enclosure counts using ceiling division. It does not change lock or reader quantities, which remain per door.

2) Should I include conduit costs for every project?

Include conduit when pathway is in your scope or required by specifications. For cable-only scopes, leave it off and rely on cable length and labor to reflect routing difficulty.

3) How do I set the spare factor?

Use 5–10% for clean new construction routes and 15–20% for retrofit conditions with unknown pathways. The spare factor increases both cable and conduit lengths to reduce shortages.

4) Are the power values exact for my hardware?

No. Defaults reflect typical continuous loads. Always confirm with manufacturer datasheets, especially for magnetic locks, biometric readers, and any devices with inrush current or heater options.

5) Why add a safety margin to the power supply?

The margin helps cover voltage drop, device tolerances, and future minor additions. Selecting the next standard supply rating above the calculated load reduces brownouts and intermittent door faults.

6) What is a good way to calibrate labor hours?

Start with recent completed jobs: divide total labor hours by doors and panels to back-calculate realistic hours. Then adjust hours-per-door and complexity to match ceiling height, access, and phasing.